Foreign Minister Heiko Maas issued the following statement (6 August) on the signing of a peace agreement in Mozambique:

"I am most delighted that the government and opposition in Mozambique have succeeded in signing a peace agreement today. For 15 years, a bloody civil war raged in Mozambique the impacts of which continue to be felt by the people in the country to this day. This peace agreement now offers an opportunity to put an end to this violent conflict once and for all.

It is vital that the peace agreement now be put into practice. I encourage all those involved to continue moving forward resolutely on the path towards strengthening democracy and peace. Germany has actively supported the peace process for some time now. We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Mozambique as it takes the next steps".

Background Information:

The civil war in Mozambique lasted from 1977 to 1992. Despite the peace accord reached in 1992, the peace and reconciliation process did not make any significant progress for many years. A new peace process was launched in 2014, with intensive support from the international community and Germany. President Filipe Nyusi and General Ossufo Momade, leader of the opposition party Renamo, signed a peace agreement on 6 August 2019. The next main steps are to disarm and reintegrate former Renamo combatants and to hold free, fair and credible elections in October 2019.

Germany’s support for the peace process in Mozambique includes funding reconciliation endeavours by groups in Mozambican society (political parties, civil society including religious and women’s groups) and seconding a Bundeswehr expert to advise on the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration.